2004-05 NBA thread

[Val1]

Woo hoo, the Celtics are actually 3 games above .500! I admit to being completely mystified that Danny could bring back Walker, and that it would work. I read an estimate that each game in the playoffs was worth about a million bucks, so I guess trying to eke out a playoff spot makes sense.

[dark knight]

Oh yeah, was Crawford's dunk nice or what?

No idea.

Sincerely,

Brooklyn Time Warner Cable Subscriber.

[Microwave]

Woo hoo, the Celtics are actually 3 games above .500! I admit to being completely mystified that Danny could bring back Walker, and that it would work. I read an estimate that each game in the playoffs was worth about a million bucks, so I guess trying to eke out a playoff spot makes sense.


not only is walker back but he is the number one reason why they are winning, coming up with big blocks, steals and baskets in key moments.

However, the Pistons are gonna whip you green ass punks tonight.

[DevilDave]

Give it some time, you'll grow to hate Kenny Thomas and Skinner, Corliss is pretty decent although a limited undersized #4. KT will start bitching about the number of shots he gets here any day now, and Skinner will disappear pretty soon afterwords.

Damn. According to this article (http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/story/12543849p-13399109c.html) in today's Sacramento Bee, you're probably right. Man, how could we be so blind??? :confused:

[biggyv]

However, the Pistons are gonna whip you green ass punks tonight.


Not quite.

HUGE win for the C's. This was their first big "litmus test" against top competition since the Walker trade (they beat Phoenix w/o Nash), and they passed it. Pierce was huge, 38-12. Ricky Davis was instant offense off the bench again, and Mark Blount played some basketball tonight. A truly back and forth affair, the C's stood up well every time the Pistons made a push.

They are clearly the favorites in the Atlantic now, and have a good shot of getting home court in the 1st round of the playoffs.

[dark knight]

Man - I'm on the Houston bandwagon - good team with some impressive road wins at Phoenix and at Kings.

[Metros Striker10]

Knicks lost a big game against the Sonics. Should have beat them. Philly can't seem to win anymore. If NY can keep on winning...playoff talk shouldn't be a joke.

[Val1]

Knicks lost a big game against the Sonics. Should have beat them. Philly can't seem to win anymore. If NY can keep on winning...playoff talk shouldn't be a joke.

That's a big if. And it's one thing to lose when playing well, but we've got a whole raft of Eastern teams that just aren't playing well. Other than Miami, only Boston (a team with serious deficiencies) seems to have come out of the break firing. So, yes NY can sneak in, but they just don't seem ready to the next level.

[Metros Striker10]

That's a big if. And it's one thing to lose when playing well, but we've got a whole raft of Eastern teams that just aren't playing well. Other than Miami, only Boston (a team with serious deficiencies) seems to have come out of the break firing. So, yes NY can sneak in, but they just don't seem ready to the next level.

I believe otherwise. The reason why is because the media does nothing but tell the fans that this team is the worst team in the league. That's what I feel whenever I watch SportsCenter or that genius Charles Barkley talk. The LA Lakers, who have supposedly the best player in the league, were down by almost 20 against these same Knicks...yet the media doesn't give them the same "smack." The Knicks are finally playing with a healthy team. The media won't tell the fans that they had a injured Houston, Crawford, T. Thomas, Penny, and Sweetney all hurt at the same time. Nazr Mohammed did fine for a month, and did horribly then after. Like I said before, they claim that he's a key piece for SA. Right now they have injured back-up center who has many liabilities while the Knicks got a leader. If we can beat Miami, which I believe is possible, then things might change.

I think Philly is only going to get worse. What a situation they have in their hands.

[Garcia]

If my aunt had a penis...wait, she does. Nevermind! :D

Good to see the Cavs get a win, finally.
Miami doesn't know how easy it will be if they don't have to face the only team that could beat them in the East, the Pistons. I only say the Pistons because the Lakers with Shaq couldn't beat them last season in the Finals. That and the fact that the Pistons are the other good team in the whole East.

Where is NJ now? Since adding a little half and half to their coffee, they have been better, right? It seems the whole East is up for shifting chairs on the deck of the Titanic and avoiding the Heat if possible.

Things have changed in the playoff system but I can't quite recall them. The top three seeds still go to the division winners based on record while the home court advantage is based on record, no matter on seeding? Do they do a NHL and re-seed? Is there any possible advantage to lose in order to get out the Heat's path until the conference finals?

Should be interesting.

The West is fun because we have the Lakers, the Timberwolves and who Denver all fighting for the 8th spot?

Updates?

[biggyv]

Things have changed in the playoff system but I can't quite recall them. The top three seeds still go to the division winners based on record while the home court advantage is based on record, no matter on seeding?

Yup.

Do they do a NHL and re-seed?

Nope. They talked about a couple of years ago, but didn't go through with it.

Is there any possible advantage to lose in order to get out the Heat's path until the conference finals?


I don't think so. The Celtics will likely have the 3 seed regardless of their standing in the conference (although they're on their way to getting the 3rd best record anyway). So it's possible that a team could lose out to get the 6th seed, thereby ostensibly avoiding Miami in the second round. Of course, they'd probably have to play an improved Celtics team on the road in the 1st round. Even so, the conference is too muddled from 3-7 for a team to tank it anyway.

[biggyv]

I believe otherwise. The reason why is because the media does nothing but tell the fans that this team is the worst team in the league.

It's not that they have the worst team in the league. They're bad, but not horrible. It's just that they have, by far, the highest payroll in the NBA, and are seemingly making moves that will ensure they stay in salary cap hell for the forseeable future.

Imagine how ESPN would react if the Yankees lost 90 games this year.

[skipshady]

I don't think so. The Celtics will likely have the 3 seed regardless of their standing in the conference (although they're on their way to getting the 3rd best record anyway). So it's possible that a team could lose out to get the 6th seed, thereby ostensibly avoiding Miami in the second round. Of course, they'd probably have to play an improved Celtics team on the road in the 1st round. Even so, the conference is too muddled from 3-7 for a team to tank it anyway.It seems likely that the teams that will face Miami in the playoffs are 4/5 and 8 seeds (Cleveland/Washington and Indiana). Would Cleveland or Washington drop to 6 to face Boston?

I think a month ago, teams may have thought about it, but the Celtics aren't going to be an easy out, and if NY or Sixers take the Atlantic, they'll be on a hot streak and tough to beat anyway.

I think this is going to be the most fun postseason in a while. They only gimme series is Miami vs East #8. And over on the West, I think most experts expect Lakers to drop in the next couple of months and Denver will take #8.

[ibreak4coffee]

I believe otherwise. The reason why is because the media does nothing but tell the fans that this team is the worst team in the league. That's what I feel whenever I watch SportsCenter or that genius Charles Barkley talk. The LA Lakers, who have supposedly the best player in the league, were down by almost 20 against these same Knicks...yet the media doesn't give them the same "smack." The Knicks are finally playing with a healthy team. The media won't tell the fans that they had a injured Houston, Crawford, T. Thomas, Penny, and Sweetney all hurt at the same time. Nazr Mohammed did fine for a month, and did horribly then after. Like I said before, they claim that he's a key piece for SA. Right now they have injured back-up center who has many liabilities while the Knicks got a leader. If we can beat Miami, which I believe is possible, then things might change.

I think Philly is only going to get worse. What a situation they have in their hands.

The whole "I'm the best point guard in the NBA" before winning one out of their next 12 games just gave the media way too much ammunition... plus Isiah... what can you say?

[skipshady]

The whole "I'm the best point guard in the NBA" before winning one out of their next 12 games just gave the media way too much ammunition... plus Isiah... what can you say?
Plus, the Lakers get plenty of grief for letting Kobe run the franchise and I'm sure a lot of pundits are quietly smiling at the very real possiblity of them missing the playoffs - and barring a Karl/Carmleo breakdown, the Nuggets will take 8th in the West.
But unlike the Knicks, the Lakers have a realistic shot at signing Yao and/or Stojakovich should they become free agents in '06.

And the Knicks are in bad shape. They have the biggest payroll in the league but are nowhere close to winning, with most of the money going to guys who haven't won jack in their lives. And you compare them to the other teams in the division:
Celtics - Rebuilding but they're making a playoff run.

Sixers - a very short window of opportunity, but they at least have a window and have a core of young players to take over after AI and Webber.

Raps - well... heh... at least they have cap room and Chris Bosh.

Nets - If they manage to make the move to Brooklyn and have a half decent team, you bet your ass they're going to be the big ticket in town. The "Brooklyn" jerseys will be hotter than hot cakes.

[dark knight]

Nazr Mohammed did fine for a month, and did horribly then after. Like I said before, they claim that he's a key piece for SA. Right now they have injured back-up center who has many liabilities while the Knicks got a leader. If we can beat Miami, which I believe is possible, then things might change.


It's not just their personalities, it's also their contract situations. There is an interesting article on Malik in the NYTimes today, and one of the things they discussed is his nickname "GL" or Generously Listed meaning he's probably closer to 6'5".

I sure hope the Lakers make it to the 8th spot and the Spurs get to whoop up on them. I'd be more nervous about facing the TWolves.

[skipshady]

Thanks for pointing me to that article (http://nytimes.com/2005/03/15/sports/basketball/15knicks.html). Enjoyed it.

I always liked Malik but I didn't realize he was that short.

[ibreak4coffee]

Thanks for pointing me to that article (http://nytimes.com/2005/03/15/sports/basketball/15knicks.html). Enjoyed it.

I always liked Malik but I didn't realize he was that short.

Newsday has a good piece today on where the Knicks went wrong: trading for Starbury.

[Metros Striker10]

I gotta disagree with you guys when it comes to the salary cap situation. In the Layden era, they had a huge cap and had absolutely nothing on the team. After Isiah became the GM, the team increased a little bit in the payroll department, but they went from being a horrible team, to a good team. They went from Howard Eisley at PG to Marbury. Othella Harrington at PF to Sweetney. I've been following this team all year and I don't know if you guys know this, but many of our players were hurt. They were 16-13 before Marbury's little quote, but Penny Hardaway got on the injured list a few days before and Tim Thomas, Sweetney, and Crawford all got hurt during that time span. Crawford's injury is the reason why Houston is hurt right now...he had to become the starter even though he was only slowly coming back.

The Knicks are rebuilding. They have three very young guys: Ariza, Sweetney, and Crawford. Now add three first round picks to that. Tim Thomas and Penny should be done at the end of the season. Right there's a lot of money they will lose. Houston's contract will be done in '07 I think, but if he stays, it's only better for them.

I don't think Philly is anywhere near as good as the Knicks right now. We almost swept them,but they were able to hit a last second shot in Game 3. Webber isn't happy and he's carrying a Houston like contract. How will they manage to trade and aging Webber?

I didn't want to create a big Knicks discussion here because it's not very popular...but I think that next season, the Knicks will definately be one of the top 5 teams in the East, that is, if they play their cards right.

[The Old Lady Hertha]

Looks like Celtics are gonna make it through the trainwreck known as the Atlantic Division. They'll probably get past their first round opponent, and who knows, they might make it past Detroit in the 2nd round. They beat them in the Fleet a week ago showing a lot of character. Granted, I don't think they can do it for a 7 game series, but Ben Wallace could get injured at any time or we could foul him every time he touched the ball ;)